MACHINERY | ENERGY MANAGEMENT I


Right: Packaging manufacturer Lotan made up to 40% energy savings by switching from hydraulic to all-electric machines


with hydraulic servo alternatives – showed a 51% reduction in energy consumption. Another test – pit- ting a Shibaura model against a comparable all-electric machine – showed similar energy consumption but better cycle time and a 30% overall energy efficiency gain, according to Smith.


Medical savings In similar fashion, UK-based medical device manufacturer Europlaz has put in a repeat order for three high-performance, energy-efficient IntElect2 all-electric machines from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. All three machines are for new production cells, allowing Europlaz to increase capacity and manu- facture new product streams. In addition to its energy efficiency, the 100T IntElect2 is equipped with a high temperature demoulding pick and place three-axis system. Ian Goodacre, technical director at Europlaz, cites a number of benefits in addition to the energy savings – including customisation options, compact footprint, intuitive processing software and interchangeable barrels.


Below: Medical moulder Europlaz says the energy efficiency of IntElect


machines is useful when preparing tenders


“Given the sustainability details we have to submit when preparing tenders, the reliability and energy efficiency statistics we can present corrobo- rates the advantages of the IntElect series,” he said. Europlaz is moving towards a fully electric suite


of moulding machines – which helps not just energy efficiency but also moulding quality and processing consistency. Ian is also quick to rate the other unique


precision moulding features included within their latest all-electric machines. Its ActiveFlowBalance and ActiveLock features help to raise efficiency and


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output by optimising the melt cushion that is so critical in tight-tolerance medical device applications, he said. ActiveFlowBalance helps stabilise and distribute the pressure of the expanding melt within multi-cavity mould tools – with no additional pressure – while ActiveLock digitally controls the closing position on the non-return valve. In addition, the IntElect2’s


large platen design means it can accommodate tools with up to eight


cavities, which might previously have required a larger tonnage – and more energy-intensive – ma- chine.


Sumitomo Demag has also begun producing its all-electric machines using solar power. It has installed 1,038 solar modules at its production plant in Wiehe, Germany – where its small and mid-sized all-electric IntElect machines are made. The solar power plant has a capacity of 600 kWp. Under perfect weather conditions, this would provide the facility with all its electric power. The investment reduces the company’s environmental impact, translating to an annual reduction of around 410 tonnes of CO2 emissions.


Food benefits A German specialist in moulding thin-wall packag- ing has cut energy consumption by more than 30% by switching to all-electric injection moulding. Cologne-based Heinrich Axmann ordered an


EcoPower Xpress machine from Wittmann, along with a Sonic high-speed robot. Wittmann supplied the 300-tonne clamping force machine and robot as a fully integrated production cell. Heinrich Axmann recently developed a plastic


IMAGE: EUROPLAZ 28 INJECTION WORLD | July/August 2024


bowl that can be opened with a tear-open mecha- nism along the bottom of the package. The meal then slides out smoothly onto the plate. “Our customer has clients such as hospitals, which operate without kitchens of their own,” said Heiner Axmann, CEO of the company. “The new concept offers high standards of hygiene, as the nurse dishing out the meals never comes into contact with the food.” The EcoPower Xpress 300 is the first all-electric injection moulding machine in the company’s machine pool. “For a long time, it has not been possible to manufacture thin-walled packaging articles by high-speed injection moulding on an all-electric


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